Levi Rothermund
Bayer Leverkusen winger Nathan Tella has thrown his support behind incoming manager Erik ten Hag, urging critics to view the Dutch coach’s full body of work rather than focusing solely on his Manchester United tenure. Speaking in an exclusive with Flashscore.com, the Nigerian international expressed excitement over the former Ajax and United boss’s appointment.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot. I think he is a very good manager,” Tella said. “People are short-sighted and look at only what he’s done at Man United, but he won two trophies there and was incredible at Ajax. Getting the United job from Ajax shows his level — and now to come to Leverkusen, replacing someone like Xabi Alonso, says it all.”
Ten Hag will officially begin his role at Bayer Leverkusen on July 1, with his first competitive match slated for the DFB Cup’s opening round between August 15–18, followed by the Bundesliga opener the following weekend.
“I’ve not met him yet — just seen the pictures of him signing,” Tella added. “But it’s motivating. Another big name in world football, and a new manager to impress.”
Tella Reflects on Leverkusen’s Season
Turning to Leverkusen’s 2024/25 campaign, Tella offered a balanced assessment. Despite missing out on silverware, the club finished second in the Bundesliga, lifted the German Supercup, reached the Champions League Round of 16, and made it to the German Cup semi-finals.
“I’d say it was a good season. Obviously, losing to Arminia Bielefeld in the cup was disappointing — that’s a team we should beat. But finishing second in a tough league and making it into the Champions League last 16 is an achievement we can be proud of.”
Leverkusen’s dominance in 2023/24 — when they went unbeaten in the league and reached the Europa League final — raised expectations. But Tella dismissed any suggestion that last season’s success was a one-off.
“It wasn’t a fluke. Last year we were unbelievable, and even this season, despite a tough patch, we still showed our quality. Apart from Atalanta, I don’t think many teams could deal with us.”
Could They Have Caught Bayern?
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich reclaimed the Bundesliga crown with a strong finish, but Leverkusen ran them close. Tella admits Leverkusen lost momentum at critical junctures.
“Bayern were really good. We had moments where we weren’t, and we closed the gap. But in some games, we needed to be killers — we weren’t. Still, we had very good moments, and you could see why we were champions before. We fell off a bit late on, but overall, we’re proud of what we did.”
With ten Hag set to bring a fresh tactical identity to Leverkusen, and Tella eager to impress, Die Werkself’s ambitions for 2025/26 are already beginning to take shape.